


Upside Down

by JQ (musicmillennia)



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Civil War, Amputation, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Corpses, Dragons, F/F, Grief/Mourning, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-14
Updated: 2016-09-14
Packaged: 2018-08-15 01:11:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8036428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musicmillennia/pseuds/JQ
Summary: The Battle of Antietam: September, 1862. After a bloody stalemate, the Confederates have retreated. Lincoln has his "victory."But Caitlin lost. It's up to Lisa to haul her back on her feet.





	Upside Down

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kipsi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kipsi/gifts).



> THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FLUFF I SWEAR
> 
> Title inspired by Hamilton's Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down). ONLY NOT NEARLY AS FUN, FUCK

Her friend's foreleg needs to be amputated. Her friend's foreleg needs to be amputated.

 _Ronnie is dead and her friend's foreleg needs to be amputated_. Focus, focus, focus. Have to focus.

Snart holds Barry down, keeping his vibrations minimized to whimpering trembles. He licks at some of the less pressing injuries while they heal. Murmurs what soothing words he can offer.

Ivan—Iris—his rider, strokes Barry's head. "You're gonna be okay, Barr," she's whispering. Her eyes are watering but her cheeks are dry. "You're gonna be okay. It's okay."

Barry's wide eyes roll every which way. The tough tripolymer doesn't move from between his clenched teeth. Caitlin has the saw in her hand. He's as ready as he'll ever be.

Focus, Caitlin. Focus.

No one else is going to lose their dragon today.

She places the teeth and begins. Lightning slaughters the clouds above.

* * *

Caitlin dips her red hands in the bowl. It's chipped at the edges, worn like the rest of them. The water wasn't clean to begin with.

Outside her tent, the battlefield is quiet. The soldiers are counting their dead. If Caitlin went out there right now, she'd see the shell of a crimson dragon.

Her hands are shaking. The blood won't wash off.

Ronnie is dead and the blood won't wash off.

A crow calls to their kin. Scavengers will have a feast tonight. They'll be feasting for years.

Someone is washing her hands. They wipe away the red with sure and gentle strokes. Caitlin doesn't recognize herself, but she recognizes them.

Lieutenant Stephen Snart—Lisa.

After the basin's absorbed all the red on Caitlin's skin, Lisa removes the soaked apron. She doesn't speak. Really, Caitlin doesn't know what she would,  _could_ say. But she'd like to hear something. Anything. Because Ronnie is dead, Ronnie is  _dead_ and she—it's all her fault, and she—

"There we are."

Caitlin exhales in a rush.

Lisa takes off her cap, letting her hair tumble. She strokes Caitlin's cheek with her thumb.

"All clean, sweetheart."

It sounds like an offer of absolution. As if Caitlin didn't leave Ronnie for a fucking broken leg. As if—

"Come on now. Dr. Stein's got your shift."

Down to the bedroll they go. Down and down and down and—Caitlin dry heaves.

Lisa gently guides her under her chin. "Yeah, Cait. You just let it out now. This is war, not a ball."

She kisses her forehead, her cheeks, her lips. Caitlin's limp in her arms, save for the sporadic shudder as her body tries to process its severed bond.

It will take two days for Caitlin's body to realize it's not time to die. Yes, two days to survive, followed by an adjustment period of...of...what did the medical books say? Oh. It varies, that's right. It varies.

Lisa doesn't move. She's warm and alive and she doesn't move.

Caitlin fists her uniform. Whispers a traitorous thought that no rider has the right to have after the corpse of their dragon joins the rivers of scorched cannon fire.

"I don't want to die."

The tension snaps out of Lisa's body. "Oh, darling," she murmurs, "as if I'd let you."

It's Caitlin's fault Ronnie died. She knows it is, and she'll always know it. But this, right here, this...this is a reason. The best one she's got. It can be enough. It'll be enough.

"I love you."

Lisa kisses her again. "I love you too, my dear. You get some sleep now. I won't let you die."

This is enough.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
